100 TPD Continuous Oil Refinery in Indonesia — Surabaya Full-Auto DBDW Plant Case Study

Q: What is the difference between a continuous and batch oil refinery?

A continuous oil refinery processes crude oil in an uninterrupted flow through degumming, bleaching, and deodorizing stages simultaneously, achieving 24/7 operation with consistent quality and lower labour requirements. A batch refinery processes discrete batches sequentially — each batch must complete one stage before moving to the next, resulting in higher labour costs, more quality variation between batches, and limited capacity (typically <30 TPD economic maximum). Continuous refineries become cost-effective above ~30 TPD and dominate commercial edible oil production at 50 TPD and above.

Q: What is the BPOM registration process for edible oil products in Indonesia?

BPOM (Badan Pengawas Obat dan Makanan — Indonesian Food and Drug Authority) requires edible oil producers to register their products before market distribution. The process involves: (1) facility registration and GMP audit, (2) product formula and specification submission, (3) laboratory testing by BPOM-accredited lab (FFA, peroxide value, moisture, contaminants), (4) labelling review for compliance with Indonesian food labelling regulations, (5) payment of registration fees. The process typically takes 3–6 months. ISO 22000 certification significantly accelerates BPOM approval by demonstrating food safety management system compliance.

Q: How much does a 100 TPD continuous oil refinery cost?

A 100 TPD fully automatic continuous oil refinery (DBDW — degumming, bleaching, deodorizing, washing) typically costs USD 400,000–650,000 for the main processing equipment including PLC SCADA control system, heat recovery exchangers, vacuum system, and storage tanks. Total project cost including civil works, utilities (boiler, cooling tower, electrical), installation, and commissioning typically ranges USD 800,000–1,200,000 depending on location, building requirements, and specification level. Payback period is typically 18–36 months depending on feedstock cost and refined oil market price.

Q: What is ISO 22000 and how does it apply to an oil refinery?

ISO 22000 is the international food safety management system standard, combining HACCP principles with ISO management system structure. For an oil refinery, it requires: identification of food safety hazards (mycotoxins, pesticide residues, heavy metals, oxidation products), implementation of critical control points (CCP) such as deodorizing temperature and vacuum level, documented monitoring procedures, corrective action protocols, traceability from raw material to finished product, and annual internal audits. ISO 22000 certification for an oil refinery is conducted by accredited certification bodies (SGS, Bureau Veritas, TÜV) and typically takes 6–12 months from system implementation to certification award.

Q: What are the power requirements for a 100 TPD continuous oil refinery?

A 100 TPD continuous oil refinery requires approximately 180–220 kW of installed electrical power, with average consumption around 120–150 kW during operation (80–100 kWh per tonne of crude oil processed). Steam consumption is 150–200 kg/tonne of oil processed, requiring a 2–3 T/h boiler. Cooling water: 200–300 m³/h circulating (via cooling tower). The plant requires a stable 3-phase 380V/50Hz power supply; in regions with unstable grid supply, an AVR (automatic voltage regulator) or diesel generator backup is recommended to protect the Siemens PLC SCADA and sensitive instrumentation.

Project Overview

The Challenge

Indonesia is the world's largest palm oil producer and a major consumer of refined vegetable oils. A Surabaya-based edible oil company needed to upgrade their aging batch refinery — limited to 30 TPD with manual operation and frequent quality inconsistencies — to a modern continuous refinery capable of 100 TPD.

Requirements were demanding: full automation with minimal operator intervention, ISO 22000 food safety certification, capability to process both palm olein and crude soybean/sunflower oil, 24/7 operation, and a Bahasa Indonesia HMI interface to empower local operators.

The Solution

SinoOil engineered a fully continuous physical refinery system tailored to Indonesian conditions and regulatory requirements:

Continuous degumming with citric acid dosing targeting non-hydratable phospholipids (NHP) in crude palm oil
Continuous vacuum bleacher with automated activated earth dosing and precise dosing control
Packed-column continuous deodorizer with steam stripping at 240–260°C under 2–3 mbar vacuum for FFA removal and flavour refinement
Siemens S7-1500 PLC with SCADA touchscreen HMI fully localised in Bahasa Indonesia
Heat recovery system (85% efficiency) using product-to-product plate heat exchangers, reducing steam consumption 38% versus the old batch plant
Multi-oil capability with dedicated parameter sets stored for palm olein, soybean, and sunflower crude oils — switchable at the HMI

Project Specifications

Location: Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia
Capacity: 100 TPD crude oil input
Refined Output: 92 TPD (8% refinery loss)
Process: Continuous DBDW
Control System: Siemens S7-1500 PLC + SCADA
Year Commissioned: 2023
Certification: ISO 22000 (March 2024), BPOM
Oils Processed: Palm olein, soybean, sunflower

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Equipment List

#	Equipment	Model / Specification	Qty
1	CPO/Crude receiving & storage tanks (heated)	3×20T, 65°C heating coils	3
2	Continuous degumming vessel with citric acid dosing	SS304, 4m³, 70°C operating	1
3	Continuous vacuum bleacher with earth dosing	SS304, 6m³, vacuum 80 mbar	1
4	Niagara leaf filter press (spent earth removal)	NF-80, 80m² filter area	2
5	Packed column continuous deodorizer	10 trays + packed section, 240–260°C, 2–3 mbar	1
6	Steam generator (fire-tube boiler)	WNS-2T/h, 8 bar, natural gas	1
7	Plate heat exchangers (product-to-product recovery)	SS316, 85% heat recovery efficiency	6
8	Fatty acid trap/catch tank	SS304, 2m³	1
9	Polishing filter (5-micron)	Bag filter, SS316 housing	2
10	Refined oil storage tanks SS304	4×25T, nitrogen blanket	4
11	Siemens S7-1500 PLC + SCADA HMI	15" touchscreen, Bahasa Indonesia UI	1
12	Cooling tower + chiller system	CT-200T/h, chiller 50kW	1
13	Vacuum system (2-stage steam ejectors + water-ring pump)	2–3 mbar absolute vacuum	1
14	Cleaning-in-place (CIP) system	Automated NaOH/citric acid circuit	1
15	Nitrogen blanketing system	N2 generator PSA type	1
16	Electrical control room (MCC panel)	IP54, ABB components	1

Project Results

92 TPD

Refined Output

8% refinery loss

<0.05%

FFA in Refined Oil

International standard

3 staff

Per shift, 24/7

vs 12 in old batch plant

38%

Steam Saving

Heat recovery system

ISO 22000

Certified

March 2024

BPOM

Approved

Indonesian FDA

"The upgrade from our old batch plant to the SinoOil continuous refinery was transformative. We went from 30 TPD with frequent quality problems to 100 TPD running 24/7 with consistent ISO-certified output. The Bahasa Indonesia SCADA was important — our operators are proud to manage a world-class system. SinoOil's commissioning team stayed 14 days and trained our engineers thoroughly."

— Technical Director, Surabaya edible oil company, Indonesia | November 2023

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a continuous and batch oil refinery?

A continuous oil refinery processes crude oil in an uninterrupted flow through degumming, bleaching, and deodorizing stages simultaneously, achieving 24/7 operation with consistent quality and lower labour requirements (3–4 operators per shift vs 10–15 for batch). A batch refinery processes discrete batches sequentially, with each batch completing one stage before the next begins — resulting in higher labour costs, more quality variation, and limited capacity (typically under 30 TPD economic maximum). Continuous refineries become cost-effective above 30 TPD and dominate commercial edible oil production at 50 TPD and above. For this Surabaya project, switching from batch to continuous tripled throughput while reducing staffing by 75%.

What is the BPOM registration process for edible oil products in Indonesia?

BPOM (Badan Pengawas Obat dan Makanan — the Indonesian Food and Drug Authority) requires edible oil producers to register all retail products before distribution. The five-step process involves: (1) facility registration and GMP audit of the production site, (2) product formula and specification submission including full ingredient declaration, (3) laboratory testing by a BPOM-accredited laboratory covering FFA, peroxide value, moisture, colour, and contaminants, (4) labelling review for compliance with Indonesian food labelling regulation SNI/BPOM standards, and (5) payment of registration fees. The process typically takes 3–6 months. ISO 22000 certification significantly accelerates BPOM approval by demonstrating a robust food safety management system and reducing the risk of audit failures.

How much does a 100 TPD continuous oil refinery cost?

A 100 TPD fully automatic continuous oil refinery (DBDW — degumming, bleaching, deodorizing, washing/drying) typically costs USD 400,000–650,000 for main processing equipment including PLC SCADA, heat recovery exchangers, vacuum system, and storage tanks. Total project cost including civil works, utilities (boiler, cooling tower, electrical switchgear), installation, and commissioning typically ranges USD 800,000–1,200,000 depending on location, building requirements, and automation level. Payback period is typically 18–36 months depending on feedstock cost, refined oil market price spread, and capacity utilisation. This Surabaya project achieved payback in approximately 24 months operating at 90% capacity.

What is ISO 22000 and how does it apply to an oil refinery?

ISO 22000 is the international food safety management system standard combining HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) principles with ISO management system structure. For an oil refinery, implementation requires: identification of food safety hazards (mycotoxins, pesticide residues, heavy metals, oxidation products, solvent residues), establishment of critical control points (CCPs) such as deodorizing temperature and vacuum level, documented monitoring procedures for each CCP, corrective action protocols for deviations, traceability systems from raw material receipt to finished product dispatch, and annual internal audits plus external certification audits. ISO 22000 certification for a new oil refinery is typically conducted by accredited bodies (SGS, Bureau Veritas, TÜV SÜD) and takes 6–12 months from system implementation to certificate award. For this plant, certification was achieved 4 months after commissioning.

What are the power requirements for a 100 TPD continuous oil refinery?

A 100 TPD continuous oil refinery requires approximately 180–220 kW installed electrical power with average consumption of 120–150 kW during normal operation (80–100 kWh per tonne of crude oil processed). Steam consumption is 150–200 kg per tonne of oil processed, requiring a 2–3 T/h steam boiler (natural gas, LPG, or biomass-fired). Cooling water requirement is 200–300 m³/h circulating volume managed via a cooling tower. The plant requires a stable 3-phase 380V/50Hz (or 415V/50Hz for Indonesian grid) power supply. In regions with unstable grid supply, an AVR (automatic voltage regulator) is strongly recommended to protect the Siemens PLC SCADA and sensitive instrumentation from voltage fluctuations, which are common in Indonesian industrial zones.

100 TPD Continuous Oil Refinery in Indonesia — Surabaya Full-Auto DBDW Plant

Project Overview

The Challenge

The Solution

Process Flow

Equipment List

Project Results

Related Case Studies

Frequently Asked Questions

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